Contributions
1,619 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDService Police (Complaints etc.) Regulations 2023My Lords, this statutory instrument contains the regulations required to establish the service police complaints system, which will be overseen by the newly appointed Service…19 Apr 2023HANSARDService Police (Complaints etc.) Regulations 2023My Lords, I thank noble Lords for their very helpful observations and the useful questions that have been posed. The noble Baroness, Lady Smith, was lamenting the absence of her…19 Apr 2023HANSARDService Police (Complaints etc.) Regulations 2023I can confirm that. I say to the noble Lord, Lord Coaker, that we already plan to conduct a review of the regime after the first 18 to 24 months of operation. It would no doubt be…19 Apr 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipThe noble and gallant Lord makes a number of important points; let me try to deal with them. On the management of contracts and the willingness to have teeth and bite where that…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipOn cost, the noble Lord will not be surprised that I am unable to give specific figures, for what I think are widely understood reasons. I imagine that differing levels of cost…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipThe Government live in the same world as Australia. Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States and many of our partners and allies are very conscious that the level of…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipTo be absolutely accurate, I did not use the word “embarrassing”. Nothing on which I represent the MoD on at this Dispatch Box is ever to be embarrassing; it is a privilege to…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipI cannot disagree with one word of what my noble friend says. As I said earlier, the IRR indicated that the primary threat at the moment is Euro-Atlantic security because of…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipIf the SRO had these powers, I would be tempted to bring him into this Chamber to address some of the interrogatories. I indicated to the noble Lord, Lord Lee, that Astute was…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipWhile the noble Lord’s noble friend Lord Coaker has remained positive about this, as his right honourable friend in the other place did, I am slightly disappointed at the rather…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipI am not an engineer or a naval technical expert on ship build, but I would say that he is quite right. There is now a repository of skills and experience that will contribute…16 Mar 2023HANSARDAUKUS Defence PartnershipMy Lords, I am sorry for the delay—I was caught on the hop. I thought that the noble Lord, Lord Lee, might take a little longer but, however brief his contribution, it is welcome.…16 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewAs I said in my initial response to the noble Lord, there is a very robust system within the United Kingdom, as he will be of aware, for how we deal with the safety of our nuclear…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewMy Lords, it would not be appropriate for His Majesty’s Government to comment on the United States Government’s plans to commission an independent review into the safety, security…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewI thank my noble friend for his observation. I understand the interest of your Lordships in the general frameworks which apply, and that is something that I am happy to comment on.06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewI thank my noble friend. As I said to the noble Lord, Lord Reid, a moment ago, we encourage other nations to be vigilant about the risk and we share information and intelligence.…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewThe noble Lord asks a very important question. We are cognisant of—we are certainly not complacent about—the swiftly changing picture of threat or the swiftly changing and…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewIndeed. I reassure your Lordships that the Government are fully committed to maintaining that independent minimum credible nuclear deterrent based on a continuous at-sea…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewAs I have indicated to the House, we have in place an array of safeguards, checks and structures to ensure that we are responsive to any identified vulnerability or potential area…06 Mar 2023HANSARDNuclear Weapons: Failsafe ReviewAt the risk of being tedious, I simply reiterate to the noble Baroness what I have been saying: we have a very robust structure within the United Kingdom. It is not only…06 Mar 2023